Hard Candy (2005)

Arthouse-exploitation hybrid Hard Candy (2005) not only combines heady dialogue and complex visual storytelling with visceral jolts of primeval sex-horror, it updates the classic grindhouse revenge genre of the 1970s within a twenty-first-century high-tech context. This is an amazing movie that will thrill and chill you as you watch this tale of a teen who gets revenge on a predator trying to hookup with underaged victims. Wicked waif Elliott Page plays fourteen-year-old Hayley, who meets teen-flesh photographer Patrick (Jeff Kohlver), who's thirty-two, in an online chat room. That already spells trouble to anyone who knows anything in the digital age! They meet at a coffee shop and, after heavy flirtation (which includes Elliott flashing their training bra), return to Patrick's bachelor pad, where their relationship becomes . . . complicated. Torture, murder, missing minors, hidden stashes of taboo porn, and other treats make Hard Candy a tough-but-rewarding swallow. Hard-bodied, bitsy-boobied Elliot, despite their character's harsh (to say the least) demeanor, provides something sweet to eyeball throughout the rough-going. And, don't worry, Elliott Page was over eighteen when the movie was made, so you are free to enjoy these sports bra scenes and midriffs without feeling as icky as the dude getting tortured by the lead character. That's a relief! The young and violent Elliott Page definitely delivers a stellar performance and looks great doing it. This certainly makes the movie worth watching. It is clear that Elliott Page is eye candy in Hard Candy! We hope you have a sweet tooth.